Mold section elevating, conveying and opening means

ABSTRACT

The disclosure concerns equipment for rapidly loading and unloading loads (such as molds with respect to presses), and utilizing a load actuator movable on a load conveyor carried by a scissors linkage enabling precise and rapid movement of the load between positions on and off the conveyor.

United States Patent Thiessen 1 1 Dec. 5, 1972 [54] MOLD SECTIONELEVATING, [5 6] References Cited CONVEYING AND OPENING MEANS UNITEDSTATES PATENTS [72] Inventor: Walter H. Thiessen, Long Beach,

Calif 768,151 8/1904 Sanderson ..425/451 x 1,880,462 10/1932 Mullin..425/451 Asslgnee: Darnell Corporalwn, Downey, 2,718,032 9/1955 Collinset al ..425/451 x 1 Cahf- 3,307,220 3/1967 -Underwoo.d ..425/451 x 22 F1d: 14 1971 l I e Jan Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spicer, Jr. [21 Appl.No.: 106,585 Att0rney-White & Haefliger RElfltCd U.S. Application Data[57] ABSTRACT [62] Division of 774,423 1968 The disclosure concernsequipment for rapidly loading and unloading loads (such as molds withrespect'to presses), and utilizing a load actuator movable on a [52]1U.S. Cl ..425/451, 425/454 load conveyor carried by a Scissors linkageenabling [51] hilt. Cl ..B29C 1/16 precise and rapid movement of theload between i [58] Field of Search ..198/126, 118, 117, 173; tions onand Off the convey 6 Claims, '10 Drawing Figures 'PATENTEDHEC 5 I9123.704.979

SHEET 1 OF 3 PATENT'EDUEBI 51972 SHEET .3 [1F 3 MOLD SECTION ELEVATING,CONVEYING AND OPENING MEANS RELATED U.S. APPLICATION Division of Ser.No. 774,423 filed Nov. 8, 1968, now US, Pat. No. 3,635,327.

. BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates generally toequipment for rapidly loading and unloading work loads, and morespecifically concerns the rapid loading of molds into presses followedby unloading through use of automatically operated equipment.

In the past, the loading of molds (such as are used for forming rubberor other articles) into medium size presses for curing under heat and/orpressure, and the unloading and opening of the molds, has requiredconsiderable lifting and hand manipulative effort on the part ofworkers. Such effort is time consuming and hence costly, and also canbecome dangerous due to worker fatigue. Such equipment as has been builtin an effort to alleviate such problems has not, to my knowledge,afforded the combination of unusual advantages which accrue from thestructure, mode of operation and beneficial results of the presentinvention, as will be seen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a major object of the present inventionto eliminate the problems referredto above, through the provision ofunusually advantageous apparatus enabling rapid, efficient and safemovement of loads such as molds into and out of apparatus such aspresses, as well as opening and closing of such molds, Basically, theequipment comprises a scissors linkage including first and secondelongated members having pivotal interconnection to accommodate relativepivoting of such members about a generally horizontal axis; a framecarried by the upper extents of such members to be raised and lowered inresponse'to relative pivoting thereof; a conveyor carried by the frametransport tranport a load and a load actuator on the conveyor to movethe load in the direction of conveyor travel; means operativelyconnected with the conveyor to drive it forwardly and reversely and toadvance the actuator sufficiently toward and away from one end of theframe that the load is movable between positions on and off theconveyor; and means operatively connected with the scissors linkage toeffect such pivoting to vertically locate the load in relation to suchpositions. As

will be seen, the load is typically received between press platens whenit is in the referred to position off the conveyor, and is removablefrom between the platens back onto the conveyor in response to reversemovement of the conveyor.

It is another object of the invention to combine a conveyor (comprisingendless chain means having upper and lower flights) with structure tosupport a load transported on the conveyor, that structure and the loadactuator both being carried on the upper flight of the conveyor to bestserve the purposes of load advancement and retraction with respect tothe press, as well as handling of the load itself. The latter mayinclude opening and closing of the load in the form of a mold box, aswill be seen. Thus, the mold may have upper and lower sections, andmeans may be provided toraise theupper section relative to the lowersection to provide access to the mold interior on the conveyor, whenretracted from the press and adjusted to desired height suited to theworker.

- It is a further object of the invention to provide coupling elementsat locations on the mold and actuator elements to be interengaged whenthe mold is in position on the conveyor, and to become disengaged whenthe mold is supported off the conveyor (as for example in the press) andas the frame is displaced vertically in response to scissors linkagepivoting. As will be seen, one of the coupling elements mayadvantageously comprise a hook on the actuator, to engage the othercoupling element on the mold and in response to frame vertical movementcombined with conveyor movement horizontally.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well asdetails of an illustrative embodiment,

description and drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 isa side elevation illustratingthe invention in its relation to a mold press;

FIG-2 is a plan view of FIG. 1 apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; I I

FIG. 4 is an enlarged and fragmentary vertical section' taken on lines44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 5-5 ofFIG.4; 7

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 6-6 ofFIG. 4; l v

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical illustration showing loading of a moldinto a press;

FIG. 8 shows the mold in opened] condition;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 9-9 ofFIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a vertical elevation taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, ascissors linkage 10 is shown to include first and second pairs ofelongated members 11 and 12 having pivotal interconnection at 13 toaccommodate relative pivoting of the. members about a horizontal axis14. A frame 15 is carried by upper extents Ma and 12a of the members 11and 12 to be raised and lowered in response to their'relative pivoting.In this regard, pivot location 13 and axis 14 are enabled to movevertically by virtue of the mounting of the members 11 and 1210 a base16 and to the frame 15, and of the mode of operation of the drive 17.Note that the end terminals of the members 11 and 12 carry lugs 18 and19 which are receivable in horizontal tracks or guidings 20 and 21 onthe base and frame respectively.

The drive 17 includes a linear actuator having a cylinder 22 mounted ona link 23 pivotally connected to the base at 24. Another link 25 ispivotally connected to the frame 15 at 26, and pivotally connected tolink 23 at 27. Finally, the actuator piston rod 28 is pivotallyconnected to the link 25 at 29, so that as the rod is moved into thecylinder, the links 23 and 25 pivot and elevate the frame 15, and viceversa.

The frame carries aconveyor, generally indicated at 30, and operable totransport a load (as for example a mold 31)'as well as a load actuatorgenerally indicated at 33 to move the load in the direction of conveyortravel. One unusually advantageous conveyor comprises endless chainmeans including spaced parallel chains 32 having upper and lower flights32a and 32b, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Forward and rearward sprockets 35carried by the frame via axles 36 and mounts 37 support the chains forhorizontal movement of the upper flight 32a. Further, there is structurecarried by certain chain links, to support the load transported on theconveyor. FIG. 3 indicates such structure may advantageously take theform of brackets 40 projecting upwardly and laterally to closelyoverhang the lubricated slide surfaces 41 on the frame. When weight fromload 31 is imposed on the brackets, the latter may transmit that weightto those surfaces, whereby functioning of the chain to advance andretract the load is not adversely affected by reception of load weight.

Note that surfaces 41 are formed by structural elements carried by theframe top plate 15a, the frame including side plates 15b and bottomplate 150 forming an enclosed zone 44 within which the conveyormechanism is housed for safety purposes. A conveyor drive-motor 45 is soenclosed along with the transmission including drive sprocket 46, chain47, and driven sprocket 48 on the axle 36 of forward sprockets 35. Suchdrive elements define one unusually advantageous form of drive meansoperatively connected with the conveyor to drive the upper flight 32aforwardly and reversely to advance the load actuator 33 sufficientlytowardand away from the forward end of the frame that the load 31 ismovable between positions on and off the conveyor. Note in this regardthe location of the load 31 on the conveyor in FIG. 4, and off theconveyor in FIG. 7. As regards the latter location, two loads 31 areshown received in stacked condition between upper and lower platens 52and 53 of a press 54 operable to treat the molds. Merely asillustrative, the molds 31 may include upper and lower sections 31a and31b between which rubber articles are receivable in cavities 55 (seen inFIG. 8) to be cured by application of heat and pressure to the closedmold sections from the press platens. FIG. 1 shows the upper platen 52as being movable vertically relative to the lower platen by actuator 56.

The actuator 33 and load 31 may advantageously include coupling elementsat locations to be interengaged when the mold is in position on theconveyor, and to become disengaged when the mold is supported (as forexample in the press) off the conveyor, and as the frame 15 is displacedvertically in response to scissors linkage pivoting. In that form of theinvention illustrated, one coupling element comprises hooks 57 onforwardly directed actuator arms 58; and the other coupling elementcomprises structure such as bails or looping elements 59 on the moldlower section, as better seen in FIG. 8. This facilitates lifting of theupper section 31a without disruption of the coupling from the actuatorto the mold. Also, the use of two actuators, laterally spaced apart asshown, prevents misalignment of the mold as it is insertedlongitudinally into and removed from the press, while off the conveyor.

Arms 58 have their rearward extents pivotally mounted at 89 to allowtheir upward counterclockwise pivoting in response to camming engagementof the rounded noses of the books 57 with the coupling loops 59 on themolds when the latter are in the press. This may occur as the conveyorsadvance the hooks forwardly into contact with those loops, in order toretrieve the molds from the press after a molding operation. As thehooks cam upwardly, during their forward advancement, they drop into therecesses formed by the loops, due to the clockwise acting weight of thearms 58. The mold or molds may then be pulled from the press after theupper platen is lifted, to be positioned on the conveyor for servicing(opening, retrieval of the molded articles, placement of other articlesinto the molds, and closing of the mold sections).

The invention provides for automatic stoppingof conveyor advancement inFIG. 7 position, and for automatic stopping of conveyor retraction inFIG. 4 position, at which times the drive maybe decoupled from theconveyor, as for example through use of a fluid drive motor. Such.stopping in forward position is effected by inability for the carriers61 to be pulled around the forward sprockets by the chain sections towhich such carriers are connected. In other words, the carrierspress'downwardly against the slide surfaces and stop advancement of theconveyor upper. flights in FIG. 7 position. Note in FIGS. 5 and 6 theconnection of the carriers to the conveyor upper flights 32a via thebracket elements 62, and the lateral extension of the carriers tooverhang the-surface-4l. Such stopping in retracted position is effectedby rearward engagement of the carriers 61 with the stop shoulders 63 onthe frame.

During such advancement and retraction of the mold, as described,(through use of a control to control motor 45) the frame or table 15 maybe raised or/and lowered by the operator (using a control 65 to operatethe actuator 17 via appropriate fluid pressure valving). This enablesadjustment of the mold to desired height and horizontal positioncorresponding to the best location for operator servicing; see in thisregard the location of the open mold at a lower elevation than theopening 66 in the press that receives the mold. Such servicing of themold may be facilitated by an elevator mechanism 67 including a chain 68adapted to be raised and lowered by an actuator 69 and link 70, therebeing a hook 71 on the chain to couple to a loop element 72 on the moldupper section for lifting same. Control operates actuator 69.

Reference to FIGS. 8-10 will show the mold sections 31a and 31b to havehinged connection at 73. Compression springs 74 aid in opening of theheavy metal upper section relative to the lower section, the springsbeing carried by the latter and pressing upwardly against the under-sideof the upper section. Closure of the molds is, of course, effected inthe press.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising ascissors linkage including first and second elongated members havingpivotal interconnection to accommodate relative pivoting of said membersabout a generally horizontal axis,

a frame carried by the upper extents of said members to be raised andlowered in response to said relative pivoting thereof,

a conveyor carried by the frame to transport a load and a load actuatoron the conveyor to move the load in the direction of conveyor travel,

means operatively connected with the conveyor to drive the conveyorforwardly and reversely and to advance the actuator sufficiently towardand away from one end of the frame that the load is movable 2. Thecombination of claim 1 including coupling elements on the mold andactuator to be interengaged when the mold is in position on the conveyorand to become disengaged when the mold is supported off the conveyor andas the frame is displaced vertically in response to scissors linkagepivoting.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein one of said coupling elementscomprises a hook on the actuator.

4. The combination of claim 1 including a press having platens betweenwhich the mold is received when in position off the conveyor.

5. The combination of claim 3 including an arm supporting the hookpivotally mounted to gravitate downwardly.

6. The combination of claim 5 including a carrier for said arm to bedriven by the chain upper flight, and means on the frame to blockcarrier travel when the tions.

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising ascissors linkage including first and second elongated members havingpivotal interconnection to accommodate relative pivoting of said membersabout a generally horizontal axis, a frame carried by the upper extentsof said members to be raised and lowered in response to said relativepivoting thereof, a conveyor carried by the frame to transport a loadand a load actuator on the conveyor to move the load in the direction ofconveyor travel, means operatively connected with the conveyor to drivethe conveyor forwardly and reversely and to advance the actuatorsufficiently toward and away from one end of the frame that the load ismovable between positions on and off the conveyor, means for effectingsaid pivoting to vertically locate the load in relation to saidpositions, said conveyor comprising endless chain means having upper andlower flights, there being structure carried on an upper flight of thechain means and supporting said load in the form of a mold having upperand lower sections, and means to raise the upper section relative to thelower section to provide access to the mold interior.
 2. The combinationof claim 1 including coupling elements on the mold and actuator to beinterengaged when the mold is in position on the conveyor and to becomedisengaged when the mold is supported off the conveyor and as the frameis displaced vertically in response to scissors linkage pivoting.
 3. Thecombination of claim 2 wherein one of said coupling elements comprises ahook on the actuator.
 4. The combination of claim 1 including a presshaving platens between which the mold is received when in position offthe conveyor.
 5. The combination of claim 3 including an arm supportingthe hook pivotally mounted to gravitate downwardly.
 6. The combinationof claim 5 including a carrier for said arm to be driven by the chainupper flight, and means on the frame to block carrier travel when themold has been moved to a selected one of said positions.